Warner announces next-gen Lord of the Rings prequel

Warner Bros has announced Middle-Earth: Shadow of
Mordor, a game set before the events of Lord of the
Rings, which will launch on the next-gen consoles as well as
the current lineup.

Its exact spot in the Tolkien-verse's timeline (is Tolkien-verse
a thing?) is between the events of The Hobbit and the
Lord of the Rings trilogy. Shadow of Mordor
follows the story of Talion, a lone ranger wandering about in
Mordor.

This is Mordor before it was a fiery deathtrap with a gigantic
eye hovering over the top, you understand. One does not simply walk
into *that* Mordor.

"Along the way, developer Monolith is exploring a fascinating
next-gen approach to enemies, encounters, and storytelling, one in
which every player shapes their own story through the choices they
make. The Nemesis System assures that every enemy you fight is a
named foe, and if they survive their battle with you, they continue
to grow, improve, and act in the world, even as you attempt to do
the same with Talion."

It's the Nemesis System which sounds the most interesting thing
about the game, if it behaves as Warner and the developer Monolith
assert.

"Every enemy that players face is a unique individual,
differentiated by their personality, strengths and weaknesses.
Through the Nemesis System, enemy relationships and characteristics
are shaped by player actions and decisions to create personal
archenemies that remember and adapt to the player and are distinct
to every gameplay session. Gamers are able to craft their own
battles, enemies and rewards within the dynamic world that
remembers and adapts to their choices, delivering a unique
experience to every player," says Warner Bros in a press
release.

Enemy systems aside, your enthusiasm for the game will depend on
where your overall enjoyment of the Lord of the Rings
franchise sits on the continuum between "amazing fantasy
experience" and "world's most tedious road trip".